Residents living along the Klein Jukskei River say recurring sewage spills have become an environmental hazard, leaving behind a persistent stench, polluting the river, and affecting nearby businesses.

Gregory Thompson, a Jukskei Park resident, said he first noticed problems about 12 years ago. “The stench and the noise when they do try to turn the station on has been unbearable. The drains continuously flow with sewage when the station is off, which is 90% of the time.

Read more: Ward 96 councillor says Riverside View will host President Cyril Ramaphosa again

“They should move the whole station away from us as it’s also in the flood zone. I have personally witnessed the security guard nearly being carried away by the river during flooding, and the whole station under water.”

He said that if the station cannot be relocated, improvements, such as sound damping, a larger grinder, indigenous trees, and fencing, should be considered. “They should make the river beautiful again.”

Ward 115 councillor Mark van der Merwe said he became aware of the issues shortly after he became ward councillor.

He explained that the Jukskei pump station is a temporary facility, and that blockages in the pump station’s mulching section and silt accumulation can cause sewage to overflow from a nearby manhole before entering the Klein Jukskei River.

According to Van der Merwe, residents living downstream, and nearby businesses, have repeatedly raised concerns about the smell and pollution. He said the river flows past Bossa Fourways and several residential estates, with the odour affecting surrounding properties depending on wind direction.

Van der Merwe said he works closely with Johannesburg Water’s electromechanical department, which deploys vacuum tankers to clear blockages and remove silt when incidents occur.

Also read: Sewage spills foul Jukskei River as residents demand permanent fix

Following Fourways Review’s enquiry, Nombuso Shabalala, spokesperson for Johannesburg Water, said the Jukskei sewer pump station is operational, and has not been out of service for an extended period. She explained that operators clean the screens daily to prevent blockages, while fitter teams respond whenever pumps require unblocking.

“More often, the manhole just outside the pump station would block, and calls will be recorded as the pump station overflowing.

“The pump station was upgraded and returned to service around July 2022 as phase 1 of the programme. Phase 2 is in progress, with the programme management unit for implementation. Timelines are not available at this stage.”

To minimise sewage entering the river, Johannesburg Water said depot teams respond to sewer blockages within the network, while operators continue daily preventative maintenance at the pump station and fitter teams attend to equipment breakdowns when required.

Regarding the environmental impact, Shabalala said its environmental unit would provide further details, but noted that bioremediation is generally implemented based on recommendations from environmental specialists.

Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates